A prime example is the elegant The Chinoise Story which celebrated its first anniversary on Wednesday. A joint venture between Singapore's Tung Lok Group and the local Jin Jiang Group, the Junpei Yamagiwa-designed restaurant emphasizes its independence from the hotel.

"We're not a hotel restaurant, we're a restaurant that happens to be in a hotel," said executive chef Jacky Shaw. "People get the impression that hotel restaurants are staid and overpriced, which is not such a good thing for us."

The 34-year-old is clearly not willing to let misconceptions get in the way. Having toiled in the kitchen for 13 years, the young Shanghainese was recognized for his craft when he was the first chef from China's mainland invited to participate as a guest chef in Singapore's prestigious World Gourmet Summit 2007 in April.

"It is good for local chefs to be involved (in this sort of thing)," said the father of one. "I'm not trying to be arrogant, but I think other chefs need to work at being recognized on an international scale."

"It's abroad that we can pick up new ideas that we can add to our dishes. This way we can all work towards raising the profile of Chinese cooking. We would like for it to be mentioned in the same breath as French cuisine or Italian."

The man has a point. To many Westerners, Chinese fare is ubiquitous with cheap, greasy take-away, something that the classier Chinoise is categorically not. "We're focused on making the food more refined and healthier. We promote the typical "three less ofs" - less salt, less oil and less monosodium glutamate."

The restaurant spins its tale through different chapters - nouveau Shanghainese, Cantonese and shark's fin dishes tell a tale of refinement. The set menus, starting at 250 yuan (US$32.60) per person, incorporate all of these elements to reach the nadir of local fine dining.

On the 350 yuan menu diners can expect braised shark's fin, orange and wasabi-mayonnaise prawns, a lion head (Chinese meatball) with crab meat and traditional fried nian gao (sticky rice cake) with bamboo shoots. All prices are subject to 10 percent service tax.

Shao's training in Singapore has paid dividends as he directs his kitchen staff of 22 to achieve the lofty standards the Tung Lok Group are known for in the island republic.

Headed by the enterprising restaurateur Andrew Tijoe, the Lion City corporation has 20 outlets in Singapore, Indonesia and on the Chinese mainland.

The 23-year-old Tung Lok Group prides itself on innovation and revolutionary approach, and in Shao have found the right man for the job.

The 2005 "National Outstanding Young Chef" believes in the need to firmly grasp the basics without relying on them forever. "If you constantly update your approach you might not recognize yourself at the end of the day. However, if you don't update regularly you will eventually be eliminated.

"You have to put all your heart into what you do. Right now all my heart and thoughts are in creating a trio of styles when serving each dish, even with staples. Meat can obviously be prepared three different ways, but so can rice or noodles - cold, hot or in soup, for example."

Jin Jiang Hotel
Address: 55 Maoming Nanlu
Tel: 021-64451717